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Economic Preferences across Generations and Family Clusters: A Large-Scale Experiment in a Developing Country

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  • Shyamal Chowdhury
  • Matthias Sutter
  • Klaus F. Zimmermann

Abstract

Our large-scale experiment with 542 families from rural Bangladesh finds substantial intergenerational persistence of economic preferences. Both mothers’ and fathers’ risk, time, and social preferences are significantly (and largely to the same degree) positively correlated with their children’s economic preferences, even when controlling for personality traits and socioeconomic background. We discuss possible transmission channels and are the first to classify all families into one of two clusters, with either relatively patient, risk-tolerant, and prosocial members or relatively impatient, risk averse, and spiteful members. Classifications correlate with socioeconomic background variables. We find that our results differ from evidence for rich countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Shyamal Chowdhury & Matthias Sutter & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2022. "Economic Preferences across Generations and Family Clusters: A Large-Scale Experiment in a Developing Country," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 130(9), pages 2361-2410.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/720395
    DOI: 10.1086/720395
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhargava, Palaash & Chen, Daniel L. & Sutter, Matthias & Terrier, Camille, 2022. "Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks," IZA Discussion Papers 15840, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Radoslaw (Radek) Stefanski & Alex Trew, 2021. "Selection, Patience, and the Interest Rate (updated 2023)," Working Papers 2020_03, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow.
    3. Laura Breitkopf & Shyamal Chowdhury & Shambhavi Priyam & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Matthias Sutter, 2024. "Do Economic Preferences of Children Predict Behavior?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10988, CESifo.
    4. Brenøe, Anne Ardila & Epper, Thomas, 2022. "Parenting values and the intergenerational transmission of time preferences," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    5. Thijs Brouwer & Fabio Galeotti & Marie Claire Villeval, 2023. "Teaching Norms: Direct Evidence of Parental Transmission," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(650), pages 872-887.
    6. Yuta Saito & Yosuke Takeda, 2022. "Capital taxation with parental incentives," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 24(6), pages 1310-1341, December.
    7. Utteeyo Dasgupta & Subha Mani & Joe Vecci & Tomas Zelinsky, 2023. "Game of Prejudice," Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series dp2023-06er:dp2023-06, Fordham University, Department of Economics.
    8. Kettlewell, Nathan & Tymula, Agnieszka & Yoo, Hong Il, 2023. "The Heritability of Economic Preferences," IZA Discussion Papers 16633, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Ertl, Antal & Horn, Dániel & Kiss, Hubert János, 2024. "Economic Preferences across Generations and Family Clusters: A Comment," I4R Discussion Paper Series 105, The Institute for Replication (I4R).
    10. Breitkopf, Laura & Chowdhury, Shyamal & Priyam, Shambhavi & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah & Sutter, Matthias, 2024. "Do Economic Preferences of Children Predict Behavior?," IZA Discussion Papers 16834, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Laura Breitkopf & Shyamal Chowdhury & Shambhavi Priyam & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Matthias Sutter, 2024. "Do economic preferences of children predict behavior?," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2024_09, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    12. Balcombe, Kelvin & Fraser, Iain, 2024. "A Note on an Alternative Approach to Experimental Design of Lottery Prospects," MPRA Paper 119743, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Flavia Coda Moscarola & Daniela Del Boca & Giovanna Paladino, 2023. "Parents' Preferences, Parenting Styles and Children's Outcomes," Working Papers 2023-014, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    14. Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Zhang, Anwen, 2024. "The Economic Impact of Heritable Physical Traits: Hot Parents, Rich Kid?," IZA Discussion Papers 16742, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Flavia Coda Moscarola & Daniela Del Boca & Giovanna Paladino, 2024. "Intergenerational Transmission of Preferences and Parental Behaviours," CESifo Working Paper Series 10902, CESifo.
    16. Aronsson, Thomas & Hetschko, Clemens & Schöb, Ronnie, 2023. "Populism and Impatience," Umeå Economic Studies 1019, Umeå University, Department of Economics.

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